In a variety of surgical procedures on the eye, it is desirable or necessary to prevent the eye from moving. Examples include corneal refractive surgery, corneal laser surgery (e.g., with the 193nm excimer laser), and radial keratotomy. Currently, ophthalmologists often merely use a pair of forceps to stabilize the eye during such procedures. Obviously, this can be less than satisfactory, as it can sometimes be difficult to get a secure grip on the eyeball, squeezing the eye with the forceps can elevate intraocular pressure, thereby temporarily deforming the shape of the cornea (which can adversely affect the procedure being performed), and this technique occupies one of the surgeon's hands, preventing him from using both hands to hold other instruments or hold the patient's head still.
One device that has been proposed for use in fixating the eye of a patient is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,660 (Clapham). The Clapham device utilizes a vacuum ring carried at the end of a handle which extends away from the vacuum ring at an angle. The vacuum ring can be secured to the eye around the cornea. The device is somewhat cumbersome, however, and still requires the surgeon to hold the device manually to prevent movement of the eye.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,418 (L'Esperance) uses a vacuum ring which can be placed on the eye, but the vacuum ring is rigidly connected to an external piece of equipment (in this case, a laser used in treatment of the eye). This technique has inherent dangers, however, in that if the patient should panic or, for whatever reason, attempt to move away from the rigid device, serious trauma to the eye can result.